Maria Shanina is a specialist in product design, brand development, visual storytelling, and career coaching. She has an extensive background in entrepreneurship and art. She utilizes creative and design approaches as problem-solving tactics and leadership skills for forward-engaged and socially conscious companies. Her work ensures companies, products, and brands remain sustainable and responsive to changes.

Maria has a diploma in Computational Design and a Bachelor of Science, plus an Educational Specialist degree. She is currently a Master of Science candidate in Strategic Design and Management at Parsons School of Design in NYC and honored with a Merit Scholarship. Her program focuses on sustainable business strategies, intertwined with design thinking to address social and economic concerns of the modern world.

Maria is certified in Applied strategic planning (University of Ottawa), Interaction Design Specialty and UX (Nielsen Norman Group), Pedagogy and the Arts: Tools for Community Development (Canada Council for the Arts), Futures Studies and Speculative Design (Parsons School of Design), Business Value of Design (Designer Fund), and Remote UX work (Nielsen Norman Group).

A spotlight speaker, “design voice”, Maria has served on creative juries including Behance Portfolio Reviews, Opreton Design Awards. She's won honors for her design work and is featured in design articles and publications on practice and design culture, such as Interface Lovers, FlowMapp, Ottawa Design Club’s Zine Magazine. Her dedication and commitment have been acknowledged by the Province of Ontario.

Maria runs a successful coaching and mentoring practice. She has guided mentees to get full-time jobs, assess and build their skills, develop career paths and prioritize their goals. She advises creatives in design and tech and offers mentoring sessions on ADPList .